Opposition parties, including Congress, TMC and National Conference, staged a walkout from Lok Sabha on Friday, February 11, protesting against the remarks of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath who had said that the state can become Kashmir, Kerala or West Bengal if BJP is not voted back to power. As the House met for the day, Opposition members from various parties rose from their seats and reached near the well protesting against Adityanath's remarks.
MPs from Kerala Congress had moved an adjournment motion over the remarks. Speaker Om Birla said the matter would be taken up after the Question Hour ends and asked the protesting members to go back to their respective seats. Soon after, the members from TMC, Congress, Kerala Congress, National Conference, DMK and SP walked out of the House.
During the protest, TMC MP Saugata Roy called Adityanath "Jogi", while BSP leader Kunwar Danish Ali said, "I seek apology from all of you that my Chief Minister is Ajay Bisht." Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said such remarks made by a Chief Minister are highly condemnable. This is the first time during the ongoing session of Parliament, which began on January 31, that Lok Sabha witnessed protests during Question Hour.
In a video message on Twitter, Adityanath had on Thursday, February 10, said, "Beware! If you miss this time, the five-year effort will be washed away. And it will take no time for UP to become Kashmir, Kerala or Bengal. This vote will be your guarantee to a life without fear." Responding to his remarks, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan said the people of Uttar Pradesh would want their state to become Kerala as it has better amenities. “If UP turns into Kerala as @myogiadityanath fears, it will enjoy the best education, health services, social welfare, living standards and have a harmonious society in which people won't be murdered in the name of religion and caste. That's what the people of UP would want,” CM Pinarayi said.